The first Busan International Children’s Book Fair is set to open on November 28th, marking a significant milestone as the first international children’s book fair in South Korea. The event, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as well as the city of Busan, will be held at BEXCO and will run for four days until December 1st. This substantial fair will feature 193 publishers from 16 countries, including 136 domestic publishers and 57 international ones. The event will host 118 authors from both Korea and abroad, and will showcase Korean copyright works.
The theme for the inaugural event is “Laputa,” inspired by Jonathan Swift’s fictional land in the sky from “Gulliver’s Travels,” symbolizing a joyful space for children. The fair will offer a wide range of activities including book displays, lectures, seminars, workshops, and on-site events, with participation from museums and libraries like the Busan Museum of Modern Art and Hyundai Children’s Book Art Museum. Notable authors will directly engage with young readers during these events.
The Busan International Children’s Book Fair aspires to become the “Asian Bologna,” similar to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, renowned globally but predominantly for industry professionals focusing on copyright transactions. The Busan fair aims to create a more inclusive event combining copyright dealings and reader festivities. An estimated 100,000 visitors are expected, with ambitions to scale up in future editions akin to the Bologna model.
Prominent writers including Soo-ji Lee, Hee-na Baek, and Ho-yoon Cha will be in attendance, offering talks and insights. The fair’s main exhibition, “Laputa: Handa, Children,” allows attendees to experience around 400 books in an interactive environment, fostering a love for physical books among children in an era where online ordering has become predominant.
The event is designed to showcase the global competitiveness of the Korean children’s book market, which has gained recognition due to numerous international awards won by Korean authors. The copyright center within the fair will also serve as a platform to introduce Korean children’s literature to the international market and explore global publishing trends through the “Copyright Seminar.”
According to the organizers, the Busan International Children’s Book Fair represents decades of aspiration within the Korean publishing industry to create an international platform for children’s literature that supports both copyright trading and a public celebration of reading. The involvement of both industry professionals and young readers is intended to distinguish the Busan fair from its global counterparts.